Advertising device



Filed April 8, 1963 1 United States Patent 3,225,476 ADVERTISING DEVICE Arthur Bockmann, 525W. BelmontAve., Chicago, Ill.

Filed Apr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,428 1 Claims (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to an advertising device, and more particularly to a changeable advertising device of the lighted display type.

One object of the invention is to provide a rigid, lightweight and low cost advertising device that in most embodiments will comprise a lighted display with the advertising message carried on a colored transparency.

Another object is to provide an advertising device that is pleasing in appearance and highly effective in use.

Still another object is to provide an advertising device that in use gives the appearance of substantial size, but which can be disassembled for shipping or storage and accommodated in a comparatively small package.

Another object is to provide an advertising device that in preferred form is effective when'viewed within an angle of almost 180 degrees and which can be modified readily to provide an advertising device effective within a viewing angle of almost 360 degrees.

Other objects, advantages and details of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein two forms of the invention are shown. It is to be understood that the description and drawing are illustrative only, and that the scope of the invention is to be measured by the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an advertising device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the display member of the illustrated advertising device, the display member illustrated in fiat form.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary plan and elevational views showing one form of holding means suitable for use in the invention.

Referring to the drawing, an advertising device embodying the invention includes a generally rectangular support member 10 of substantially rigid sheet material adapted to be mounted in a vertical plane. Support member 10 may have an aperture 11 whereby the member conveniently may be suspended from a suitable external support. The height of support member 10 preferably is small compared to the height of the associated display member that will be described presently, although this is optional.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a light source 12 is mounted on support member 10 in forwardly spaced relation. As shown, light source 12 is carried by a bracket 13 which in turn is secured to a spring clip 14, the latter engaging support member 10 at the margin of an opening 15. The light source thus is detachable from support member 10 for shipping or storing. The surface of support member 10 behind light source 12 may be covered with metallic foil for heat and light reflection.

The message carrying portion of the advertising device is a display member 16 that is formed of resilient sheet material, for example polystyrene or other suitable plastic having a thickness of the order of 0.015 inch. Material of this character and thickness has a self-sustaining characteristic and a desirable degree of resilience for use in the invention.

The width of display member 16 is greater by an amount in the range of about 50-65 percent than the effective width of support member 10. The effective width of support member 10 is defined as the distance between holding means, presently to be described, that cooperate with the vertical margins of the illustrated support member 10. An enlargement of support member 10 beyond the'illustrated vertical margins is optional, and

would not increase the effective width as here defined. In other words, the expression vertical margins as here used with reference to support member 10 means the vertical regions that contain the aforesaid holding means.

Thus, the width of display member 16 is appreciably greater than the effective width of support member 10.

The increased width of display member 16 in relation to the effective width of support member 10 is a significant feature of the invention inview of the manner in which display member 16 is mounted on support member 10. In brief, with the widths specified, the central portion 17 of display member 16 has comparatively small curvature, thereby providing a relatively large effective display area, that is, one that can be seen well within a large viewing angle.

Holding means 20 of suitable type connect the vertical edge portions of display member 16 to the effective vertical margins 21 of support member 10. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, holding means 20 may take the form of lugs riveted to vertical margins 21 of support member 10, the lugs spaced from support member 10 and extending toward the adjacent edges ofthe member. In the illustrated form of the invention, two lugs are rovided at each vertical margin 21.

Referring to FIG. 4, spaced apertures 25 are provided in each vertical edge portion 26 of display member 16. The spacing of apertures 25 corresponds to the'spacing of cooperating holding means 20.

Alternatively, holding means 20 or equivalent could be mounted on display member 16, with cooperating apertures provided in support member 10.

Display member 16 is mounted on support member 10 as best shown in FIG. 3. Holding means 20 secure vertical edge portions 26 of display member 16 in a plane generally parallel to support member 10. The marginal portions 28 of display member 16 each tuck under and curve on an arc, and merge into central portion 17 of display member 16. Central portion 17 constitutes the main display area of the device, and it is noted that the curvature thereof is small.

In the refined form of the invention illustrated, the corners of display-member 16 are relieved by curve or taper, as shown at 30 in FIG. 4. Thus, the height of display member 16 decreases adjacent and toward each vertical edge 26. The curved or tapered corners 30 of display member 16 provide two advantageous results.

One result is that the curvature of the are at each marginal portion 28 of display member 16 decreases with distance away from vertical edge portion 26, thereby in effect maximizing the amount of effective display area. The reason for the changing curvature, of course, is that the cross sectional area of display member 16 decreases adjacent and toward each vertical edge 26 thereby proportionately decreasing the resistance to bending. The resultant sharp marginal curvature and comparatively large effective display area with small curvature are shown in FIG. 3.

The other desirable result achieved by cutting away the sharp corners of display member 16 is improved appearance. If the corners were not relieved, they would be visible adjacent support member 10 when viewing from the front, thereby detracting from the over-all appearance of the device.

A useful modification of the advertising device of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein display members 35 and 36 are mounted on opposite surfaces of a support member 37. The latter has a comparatively large central opening 38 in which is disposed a light source 39 suitably mounted on support member 37 adjacent the opening. The respective display members 35 and 36 and mounting means 40 are essentially the same as the counterparts described previously.

In usual form, display members 16, 35 and 36 are colored transparencies containing text and illustration suitable for the intended advertising message.

The spaces between the upper and lower edges of a display member 16, 35 or 36 and support member or 37 may be left open, or closed, as desired. If open, areas above and below the device will be illuminated.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A changeable advertising device comprising:

a generally rectangular support member of substan tially rigid sheet material adapted to be mounted in a vertical plane;

a display member of resilient sheet plastic material having in flat form a Width and height appreciably greater than the width and height of said support member, said display member in fiat form prior to assembly;

holding means detachably connecting the vertical edge portions of said display member to the vertical margins of said support member, said holding means on each vertical margin of said support member comprising lug means on said support member having a portion spaced forwardly of and parallel to the support member, the free end of said lug means extending toward the adjacent edge of said support member, an edge portion of said display member received between a lug means and said support member, the vertical marginal portions of said display member each tucking under and curving on an are decreasing in curvature with distance away from the edge portion, whereby the central portion of said display member has small curvature and thus large effective display area, the resilience of said display member cooperating both to maintain engagement between said display member and said lug means and to establish the arcuate shape of the assembled display member; and i a light source mounted on said support member and illuminating said display member from behind.

2. The changeable advertising device of claim 1 wherein said resilient sheet plastic material has a thickness of the order of .015 inch.

3. The changeable advertising device of claim 1 wherein the vertical edge portions of said display member have spaced openings, said lug means extending through said openings.

4. The changeable advertising device of claim 1 wherein the corners of said display member are relieved whereby the height of said display member decreases adjacent and toward each vertical edge.

5. The changeable advertising device of claim 1 with the addition of a similar display member and similar associated holding means on the other side of said display member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,913,585 6/1933 Crosby 133 2,148,179 2/ 1939 Suuderhauf 40133 2,204,076 6/1940 Enoch 40126 2,385,002 9/ 1945 Jorgenson 40125 2,634,529 4/1953 Burdick 40125 2,935,281 5/1960 Huffman 40--125 X 3,116,027 12/1963 Kleppin 40132 X FOREIGN PATENTS 350,798 6/ 1931 Great Britain. 614,675 12/ 1948 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CHANBEABLE ADVERTISING DEVICE COMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SUPPORT MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID SHEET MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A VERTICAL PLANE; A DISPLAY MEMBER OF RESILIENT SHEET PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING IN FLAT FORM A WIDTH AND HEIGHT APPRECIABLY GREATER THAN THE WIDTH AND HEIGHT OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID DISPLAY MEMBER IN FLAT FORM PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY; HOLDING MEANS DETACHABLY CONNECTING THE VERTICAL EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID DISPLAY MEMBER TO THE VERTICAL MARGINS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID HOLDING MEANS ON EACH VERTICAL MARGIN OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING LUG MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A PORTION SPACED FORWARDLY OF AND PARALLEL TO THE SUPPORT MEMBER, THE FREE END OF SAID LUG MEANS EXTENDING TOWARD THE ADJACENT EDGE OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, AN EDGE PORTIONOF SAID DISPLAY MEMBER RECEIVED BETWEEN A LUG MEANS AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, THE VERTICAL MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID DISPLAY MEMBER EACH TUCKING UNDER AND CURVING ON AN ARC DECREASING IN CURVATURE WITH DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE EDGE PORTION, WHEREBY THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID DISPLAY MEMBER HAS SMALL CURVATURE AND THUS LARGE EFFECTIVE DISPLAY AREA, THE RESILIENCE OF SAID DISPLAY MEMBER COOPERATING BOTH TO MAINTAIN ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID DISPLAY MEMBER AND SAID LUG MEANS AND TO ESTABLISH THE ARCUATE SHAPE OF THE ASSEMBLED DISPLAY MEMBER; AND A LIGHT SOURCE MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND ILLUMINATING SAID DISPLAY MEMBER FROM BEHIND. 